McCoy back with Seahawks after missed season

Anthony McCoy was coming off his best season when he sustained an Achilles injury that sidelined him in 2013. He's ready to pick up where he left off, and he felt that returning to the Seahawks gave him the best shot to do so.

Tight end Anthony McCoy showed promise in 2012 after two injury-plagued and inconsistent seasons. (AP)

McCoy signed a one-year deal with Seattle on Tuesday, hours before the start of free agency.

"Everyone always I think has an interest in going into free agency and seeing what they're worth on the market," McCoy said during a conference call with Seattle-area reporters, "but Seattle came at me tough and they were the team that drafted me and at the end of the day I felt that this was the best place for me to continue my career in the NFL, and I feel I made the right choice."

Signing McCoy, 26, gives the Seahawks another option at tight end, one who appeared to be turning the corner after two forgettable seasons.

A sixth-round pick in 2010, McCoy landed on injured reserve after two games as a rookie then struggled with drops and penalties the following year. But he caught 18 passes for 291 yards and three touchdowns in 2012 while serving as Zach Miller's backup, a role he was expected to fill again last season before tearing his Achilles during an OTA in May.

With that, the Seahawks lost their backup tight end and McCoy lost his contract season, what would have been his chance to position himself for a nice deal with a strong year. Instead, he spent 2013 on injured reserve, which undoubtedly tempered any interest he had elsewhere.

Nearly 10 months removed from the injury, McCoy said he expects to be ready by the start of offseason workouts in late April.

"At this point in my rehabilitation process I feel like I'm just about there, about ready to go hit the field," he said. "Still got a lot more work to do to get it to where I want it to be. Like I said, I'm dealing with some of the best trainers in the league right now and I know that they're going to have me right come September."

Seattle's tight-end group could look different once McCoy returns to the field. Miller's $7 million cap figure in 2014 has led to speculation he could be released, and the Seahawks are reportedly interested in free agent Jermichael Finley. The other tight ends on Seattle's roster are Luke Willson, Travis Beckum and Cooper Helfet.

"I feel that I can compete with all the guys here," McCoy said. "It's going to be a great competition between all of us, and I think we're going to do really well with all the guys we've got coming back and the guys I know the coaches are going to bring in."